Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso hit back angrily at fans who had protested their achievements so far this season. ‘Reaching the Coppa Italia semi-final two years in a row is worth nothing?’
The Viola supporters rebelled at the Stadio Franchi with jeers and insults after Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Bologna saw them plummet into the bottom half of the table.
They have only six wins in Serie A this term, six draws and nine defeats, although they did make it to the Europa Conference League play-offs.
“We have to say that Napoli and Milan were knocked out of the Coppa Italia. So reaching the Coppa Italia semi-final two years in a row is worth nothing?” Commisso told Radio Bruno this evening.
“Napoli and Milan have much higher wages and costs than we do. The team is not delivering the results it should, I know that and I say again that I am disappointed, but that doesn’t mean I have to listen to certain idiots.
“Those who say I only speak to the media when things are going well are lying. It is up to me today to defend the squad, coach and directors, who are insulted every day and that is not fair. Every day we work to improve and advance the situation at Fiorentina.
“You cannot call the lads heroes one day and flops the next. Some players are insulted even before the game begins. This doesn’t happen in America, at Columbia University there are male and female teams, the men had two horrible seasons, but fans didn’t turn up to criticise them.
“It is also the fault of the media, who do nothing but stir up the fans and incite them to do what they do.”
Commisso has also been very critical of the existing Financial Fair Play rules, so was even more fired up after Juventus were docked 15 points for inflating transfer fees to boost capital gains and the Premier League charged Manchester City with multiple breaches of financial regulations.
“FIFA are taking my 10-point plan into consideration. Those clubs who are sticking to the rules are damaged by others taking short-cuts. There have to be more checks and balances on squads and their owners. Some clubs have been helped with their balance sheets.”
Commisso was also one of the few Serie A club patrons who was against the recent Government decree allowing them to spread out the cost of their taxes over a series of instalments, a plan drawn up and pushed largely by Lazio President Claudio Lotito.